The Committee was asked to undertake an inquiry into the utilisation of Victorian native flora and fauna and, in particular (in summary):
a) identify the potential for utilisation of Victorian flora and fauna;
b) assess the economic and environmental sustainability of that potential; and
c) examine and report on the existing statutory and other controls on the utilisation of native flora and fauna.
The Committee was required to report within a framework of ecologically sustainable use.
In line with current international and national policy, the Committee has considered and developed a framework of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) - this is outlined in Part A of this report (Chapter 2). This framework provided a useful reference point for the collection and assessment of information on current and potential utilisation and has been used to assist the Committee in formulating the recommendations outlined in this chapter. The Committee discusses methods to further the use of this framework of ESD at the end of the chapter.
In Part B of the report (Chapters 3 to 6), the Committee identified current forms of utilisation of native flora and fauna in Victoria, identified the potential of such existing activity and the potential for additional forms of utilisation.
Economic, environmental and regulatory issues are touched on in Parts A and B of the report, but further elaborated upon in Part C (Chapters 7 to 10).
Part D, consisting of this chapter and the following chapter, presents the Committee's conclusions and recommendations. It draws on Parts A, B and C as well as on the issues and Senate Inquiry summary outlined in the Discussion Paper and builds on the responses to the questions raised in the Discussion Paper received in written submissions. The Committee has ensured that all its recommendations are consistent with ESD principles and are, in its opinion, reasonable and able to be implemented.
